Who skins their birds?

[Tre3hugger]

Got some birds to process soon, and I am thinking about skinning them. Any one got a good technique they'd like to share? Is it pretty easy on a young bird? I have a plucker, but would like to learn to skin so I can save the electricity/time of set up when I only have a couple birds to do. Thoughts please?

 

[MysteryChicken]

I don't skin, I like crispy skin from roasted, or fried chicken.

@U_Stormcrow , skins their birds though.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I skin quail and they're super easy. I think chickens are harder though

 

[Molpet]

Beekissed posted this a long time ago.
I think she hangs them now so she can pull the skin off easier.

 

[Molpet]

I harvested a 4 or 5 yr old hen last weekend. Much easier to skin than a year old rooster. Four 16 WK cockerels take as long to skin as it takes me to set up scalding, plucker and clean up of them. But I'm slow at skinning

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I hang mine for skinning. Its easy.

Cut at the neck (you are going to do this anyways to get at the crop. One hand secures the bird, other hand goes up along the breast line, just off to one side then around towards the back. Same on the other side. With young birds, its very easy. Older birds, you may need to snip or cut that tiny bit of connective tissue that runsfrom the center of the thickest part of the breast to the skin. Once you have some space to work, start a rip in the skin near the thigh area with the loose skin. Peel down and away from the bird, disroping it down the wing. Quick knife work to remove the feathers at the edge of the wing. Repeat other side.

Pull the bird off your hook/hanger, remove the feet. now pull the remaining skin down each leg and off. That should leave some tail feathers on the "pope's nose". Chances are good you can simply rip those off.

Now do your cavity work as normal. Older birds tend to have tougher connective tissues, including the skin, may need more knife work to start tears in the skin, or to remove at the wing and the connection points along the thigh.

Dry hands are best.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

In a lot of ways, its like skinning a rabbit or a goat. Or, I assume most other four legged things.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Skinning them dries out the meat I pluck mine. I have skinned a few takes longer then plucking

 

[Ridgerunner]

Got some birds to process soon, and I am thinking about skinning them. Any one got a good technique they'd like to share?

My technique is a little different from U_Stormcrow, isn't it always, but no need to confuse you. I'll just agree on a few points. Remove the feet before you skin the legs. The wing is the hardest and has little meat. It's in three parts. I cut off the tip and throw it away. Your dog would probably eat it. Use a knife to help you get the flight feathers off of the middle wing piece.

Is it pretty easy on a young bird?

I assume you are talking dual purpose, not just CX. The same basics apply but you are probably not going to keep CX long enough for anything to develop.

Absolutely. Pullets and most mature hens are pretty easy. Occasionally I'll get a tough old hen. Before puberty cockerels are really easy but the further into puberty they get the tougher they can be. Those hormones seem to cause connective tissue to grow between the skin and the carcass. Different cockerels go through puberty at different ages so it's not just an age thing. Having said that most of the 16 week olds aren't hard, especially the late maturing ones. 23 week old cockerels aren't horrible but there is a noticeable difference. A mature rooster will turn you off from skinning. Most mature hens, not really.

I have a plucker, but would like to learn to skin so I can save the electricity/time of set up when I only have a couple birds to do. Thoughts please?

It's aways good to have a different technique/method in your back pocket, you never know when it might come in handy.

 

[1cock2hens]

I've skinned them before, just pull the skin and cut around the feet etc and it slides right off